Mark of the Princess
by thatdragonchic
Summary: Daisy Robinson or Juhua Luobinxun is the endearing princess of China and future Empress with a lust for knowledge on the world outside. William is a traveler and tradesman looking for a world beyond his own and studies culture to accomplish his life goals. The intimate bond between them is formed through the sharing of cultures and a few marks on the body of the princess.
1. Chapter 1

The Mark of the Princess

Chapter 1

William Mason's grey-blue eyes flicked across the small village that housed the palace of the emperor, lively and curious people who all watched with caution. Children and women rushed inside, men approached. William, though, was not afraid. He knew the language, had studied it well and came in peace, hoping for a bit of cultural exploration is all. So when the men reached him and his own crew of travelers, he wasn't surprised when they roughly asked _"Who are you?" _

"William Mason of Yorkshire, England! I come in absolute peace with my men, we only wish to learn more about you," William offered kindly, a small smile offering the extra mile of hope. The men glanced at each other. He was young, he was hopeful and kind seeming. These men didn't even seem equipped with weaponry that was good for killing anything more than a bird or a deer; weak hunting weaponry to survive was all.

"Then welcome to our village! We shall send a messenger to the palace to bring greetings as the future empress does love and encourage visitors. The current royalty much enjoys them themselves. For now, you stay in empty huts!" One older man greeted, the others smiling though caution glinted in their eyes. They looked at their horses, curiously poked through their stuff and inspected the men with great interest. They looked different than their kinds of people, strangers. The huts were on the outskirts of the central village and near the edges of the more rural area and the meeting paths to the large palace. The palace was a large, square dome with tiers that looked like shingles. Colored red and black, tints of green glistening from the windows.

"It looks beautiful," William said allowed, though his Chinese wasn't quite perfect and translated to 'It looks nice' rather than beautiful.

"Just _bùcuò? _I think it is very _mĕilì," _the bald man who lead them replied, more so correcting him with an amused smile as the man knit his eyes in confusion.

"Oh! Beautiful?" William said in realization, switching into English as the man laughed him.

"Shì de, _boo-teh-ful_ as you say in your strange language," The elder man said, his stick a rhythm on the ground as they walked. William smiled and looked back at his men who sat confused. They didn't pick up on languages as easily as William did, that was why he was the leader of them; he knew what he was doing, he always had his homework done.

"What is your name?" William asked, catching up with the man, trying to catch a proper glimpse at his features. He had nice brown skin, the fair of freckles on his old face and wrinkles that lit up his firm muscles when he smiled.

"Bolin, it means _xiăoyŭ_. My parents name me that because they believed I would be very gentle man and indeed, I was. Always kind," He explained and smiled gently. William perked a small smile as he let the beauty of the name sink in. Gentle rain was what Bolin meant, _xiăoyŭ. _

"I believe you. Have you a wife, children?" William asked, curious as he followed the man.

"Yes. My wife, her name is Chu-hua," he said. "She very nice woman, though very fat!" He laughed at that. "We have six children. Three girls who marry good men and three boys who marry nice wives and move to other parts of china. The girls, they stay close though. The men, they visit us when possible because they are not very far. What is your name my son?" "

William…" he said, his own name feeling very stupid compared to the contrast and color of the Chinese names the man tongued.

"Wi-lee-um? Very strange, very nice." "Nice?"

"Yes. Maybe not to you, you're people speak it every day but no, our people do not have names like that. To us, you're name sound foreign and beautiful. No?" Bolin asked, smiling as the young man took realization to the words. In fact, the curiosity flourished into a look of question as he began to think. "I leave you to think, please, gather you're men. We are almost there and the ladies will come to bring tea with their daughters and the ladies husbands will help you settle." "Thank you Bolin," William said as they soon reached the huts.

000

"Visitors? From where?" The princess asked, bouncing on her toes at the mention. She looked much like no one else in the whole country, bright blue eyes that were a bit wider than most peoples, lined with thick black lashes and a well rounded face. Her skin was pale with freckles and many knew that she may have been adopted at very young by foreign travelers who died of disease. Theories as to why the princess loved so many people and even as to why she was destined to be so powerful; because she had a past uncalled for but would hurt once known and would become powerful with the rage dwelling deep down but also with the heart to better things.

"From some foreign place, they are pale as the cloths on the table!" The messenger cried and the queen laughed at that, the king smiling.

"Much like Júhuā," The king said to his daughter. She smiled brightly and sat down at the dining table. "Tell us about them, what were the holding, where are they staying?"

"They are staying at the huts by the paths, Bolin is bringing them there. They were dressed in leather and cotton cloth, or I believe it was cotton. They wore hats, very strange ones and the leader was blonde with blue eyes. He spoke our tongue and seemed very kind. Bolin likes him I think," The messenger spoke and Júhuā looked up with peaked interest.

"That's so strange. I do wish to meet him, maybe I can learn something about his culture," She said in a softer tone, her eyes softening in wonder and day dream. The princess never left the walls of her village, not often. And when she did it was to another city, taken there on the path to empty roads and between farms that all looked much the same. She wanted to travel outside, to see the rest of the world! She wanted to go to India, meet the monarch there, where her religion had been started. She wanted to see the land above them, what was it called again? She couldn't remember but surely it was interesting, it sounded so. And this place that the foreigners came from, surely this leader who spoke their tongue could in fact teach her. In return, she would teach him. "I must go see him later!" She pronounced as she caught whiff of the wonderful vegetarian stew that her chefs made. Júhuā was the only one in the family that followed Buddhist law; her parents were in fact followers of the ancient rules of Taoism. The tenth century was a new age and Daisy took to her own path. Her parents smiled smally and nodded, not one to stop their daughter.

"As long as an advisor joins you," her mother warned. "We don't know much about them yet, we don't know if they are dangerous."

"Yes mama," She said more quiet and thanking the man who served her a plate.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Júhuā dressed in a red and gold dress, hair pinned back in a large, creative bun. She had a thin chain going around her head that lead down to a red jewel that landed on her forehead, glittering makeup brushed along her face. She got up from her dressing table, large open sleeves hanging under her wrists and decorating her arms, a thin bodice that only covered where the top ended and jewels with gold lining decorated the skirt.

"I quite like this dress," Júhuā commented, smiling at herself. "It makes me look thin and beautiful."

"You always are _Diànxià_," Her maid replied, smiling at the princess who nodded and tried her best to be graceful as she walked out. _Chin up, hands folded, one foot before the other, back straight. Look like a queen, _she constantly reminded herself as she walked down to the foyer. Her advisor and a guard waited for her, standing stiff as boards as they waited there at the end of the grand stairs.

"_Diànxià, _your horse is ready outside," the guard informed, pressing his hands together and bowing half way down before standing back up stiff again.

"Thank you," she said with a smile. "Come now, I imagine they're in the market, so we shall go and see if they're there first. Its been the few hours, has it not?"

"It has _Diànxià_, I'm sure they are well settled in and fed by now," The guard replied, offering the princess a smile. "Uh, _Diànxià, _Júhuā?"

"Yes?" She asked, glancing up at the tall, armed man with question.

"Should I bring another of my men?" He asked, concerned for the princess, and more so his life. Dare anything happen to her; it was the end of him. Banishment, death, something like that.

"No. I'll be fine and if the villagers say they are nice, than they must be kind enough to have been let into the village of the palace to start," She said with her stubborn pride, turning her nose up a bit in assurance as she strut her way to the door, the quiet advisor following behind her. The advisor was a thin, middle-aged man who had a bit of a limp in his walk and scars from battles with the king. He was well trusted among the family and was much like a second father to the princess, though he never questioned her. He rarely spoke, actually. When he did, it was always to help the princess, guide her rightly or put in such suggestions for her.

"Would you care for a new shawl? Your mama says you need one," The advisor finally spoke up and she shook her head.

"Whatever for? I shall get one when the seasons change, the flowers of spring have only just begun to blossom!" She commented, looking to Jian. "Don't be so tense, Jian. I'm sure mama will live if I don't get a new shall this instant. Its not even cold anymore! What do I need it for?"

"It is a bit chilly still Júhuā," Jian told her, knowing his job was only to advise her through with the orders given. Though he was much more than that to her, he knew that, but he still had to go through with his job. "You might catch ill."

"Fine, but only one new shawl," She huffed a bit, covering her eyes as the large doors to the palace were swung open and the sun poured through and into the foyer. "My goodness its bright out for mid-afternoon!" She complained as she was lead forward by the guard.

"Your umbrella is on your horse _Diànxià," _ the guard informed as her eyes finally adjusted to the light. Her feet landed on the smooth pavement and she let her eyes flutter open from her previous glare. She glanced around at the trees and sighed as the blooming honey suckles and cherry blossoms scented the air. She quite loved the spring, it always brought such wonderful scents about the air.

She glanced down the steps, steep stone step after steep stone step made its way down to her lovely white mare that waited for her with a blanket on its back for her to sit on and her umbrella perched by its feet. The horse gnawed at an apple left for her and Júhuā smiled at the lovely thing. She loved her horse, though she was never allowed to truly learn how to ride because her mother deemed it dangerous and said it looked improper to do while in a dress.

"Ready girl? We're going for a walk," she informed the horse in a soft tone. The horse looked up and caressed the neck of the princess. She giggled and pet her horses head. The guard kneeled down to one knee for the princess to use a stool and she shook her head. "If only you'd let me pull myself up," She said and the guard shook his head, patting his broad knee.

"No need for that, now come along, before you miss the visitors today," the guard said. Júhuā nodded and stepped up his knee and then sitting on the horse, sideways so she didn't wrinkle the dress, smoothing it down the holding the reigns with one hand in case she would have to slip into a riding position if anything happens. Her mother didn't know about it, but she had taught herself some combat and battle issues in case she'd ever need it. Indeed, you cannot be an empress of power without knowing how to defend yourself. She was no samurai but she could wield a sword, do some martial arts that the guards had taught her in private as she requested and even learned how to handle her horse from a sitting position to a riding one and using her umbrella as a weapon. It was simple stuff, but it was stuff worth knowing, or so she thought.

"Oh!" She cried out surprised as she was reeled in from her thoughts as the horse started to trot forward. The guard and advisor looked at her and she shook her head at them as they lead her and the horse into the village. She slowly took in the fresh air, the grass wet from a drizzle sometime earlier in the day. There were passerby's who nodded their heads in bowing as she passed and she nodded back to them. The acceptance of her people was an empowering feeling, that she had their respect and they would obey her command when her time came. She felt safe.

000

The village was bright and lively as William had set out to explore. His men all collapsed in sleep, they were so _tired. _But William was quick to go out and explore after he'd eaten the delectable meal the women and their daughters had offered. Of course, he did speak to them, poked around what they were doing, how they were making things because he'd never really seen the work done in the kitchens because he came from a privileged household.

People greeted him and watched him curiously as he inspected every building with interest, walked in and out of shops, and even joined a chess match with some old men. (he lost of course, but he still had fun doing so.)

And now he stood before this lovely little hut, trying to read the sign posted on the window. He could hear people talking a bit more lively but he didn't pay much attention to it. Simply, he was trying to read the sign, understand the language a bit more; even used his notes to do so. The hand writing was pretty and very clear.

000

Júhuā caught sight of the man, shooing her advisor and guard away as she stood behind a pole that supported the entrance to the shack. The princess had greeted her people and had stood, now the one to lead her horse but now she had found a sight of interest. The foreigner.

She watched him, examining the thick red shirt he wore, that puffed a bit at the sleeves and the tight pants that complimented his slender and probably strong legs. He had blonde hair and she couldn't see the color of his eyes, his nose was a bit pointed and his jaw was rather sharp against his skin, the boy being rather thin. _He probably hadn't eaten much on his travels _the princess mused as she watched the concentrated man, glancing between his journal and the sign.

"Do you need help?" She finally spoke up, coming out from her spot and move a bit closer to him. He looked up surprised before smiling at her.

"It would be nice, the language is a bit hard to piece together in writing," He said with a faint chuckle that lit a shy smile on her lips.

"It says _Herbal shack and fortunes," _She read, now standing next to the rather tall man. She looked up at him, estimating that he were at least a few centimeters taller than her guard.

"Ah, do I suppose they sell herbs and fortunes or am I way off?" He mused, making the girl laugh this twinkling, pretty kind of laugh.

"No, no, you're right. You should purchase some, I do love their teas and herbal bath cakes," she said. "The ladies who run the shack are quite lovely in themselves!" She spoke with fluttered excitement, though inside she was quite nervous. She'd never been so close to a foreigner, let alone spoken to one.

"Well, once I feel fully settled, I'll remember to return. The village is quite big, I must say. You must love living here," William commented, looking at the small girl. How would he know she was the princess? The nice dress might have given it away, but a lot of women were actually dressed quite nicely as they strolled with their children and lived in spacious house, each a few meters from the others. The village wasn't crowded at all, in fact, it reminded him just a bit of home.

"It is," she said, holding back laughter. He must not have realized who she was. "What's your name?"

"William. And you're my lady?"

"Júhuā Luòbīnxùn, princess," She introduced, giggling as his eyes widened in realization. He was speaking to the _princess! _Princess Daisy of China, he'd heard so much about her upon coming but never on earth did he think he would ever meet the princess!

_"Diànxià," _he said, kneeling to one knee and bowing his head as he would if he were presented before European royalty. He could hear her twinkling laughter from above him.

"What are you doing?" She asked, covering her mouth as she watched him. He looked up at her confused before standing, slowly, cautiously.

"Bowing, you're royalty aren't you?" He asked, making sure he didn't hear her wrong.

"That's not how you bow sir _William," _She said, his name coming more clearly to her than it did Bolin. "That indeed, looks very ridiculous and stupid."

"For a princess you're quite open. I guess rumors about you aren't wrong."

"What rumors?" She asked, suddenly defensive and he laughed, holding his hands up a bit in defense.

"Nothing bad Diànxià," he replied. "Just that people who have come and returned with stories of you say that you're the art of perfection but also the art of human. They say you're clumsy and you love to talk and explore. I don't see whats wrong about that, you're…. you're… personality is quite nice," He said, struggling on a way to define her in her language.

"You speak well for a foreigner," she commented, dismissing his opinion on her. "Where did you learn?" She asked.

"A man from the trade routes," William said. "He befriended me and taught me how to speak, our common ground being Italian."

"Whats that?"

"What? Italy? It's a country, their language, naturally, is called Italian," he said. "I've been practicing the language for years, Chinese and Italian so I could make money off trade."

"Is that why you're here? For trade?" She asked, a bit bummed out that the man wasn't the dream of a traveler her mind had built up in the past few hours.

"No, actually. I came here to see if my friend from the trade was right about the country. So far, he has been. It's quite lovely," William said, smiling as he watched her features light up.

"What is your native language?" She asked, gesturing they start walking the way she came from. She was parched and wanted a drink from the towns fresh water fountain that spewed water in the center of the village.

"English, I come from the land of England, which is very, very far from here," William admitted. "Tiring trip, long days and nights. It's been more than a year of traveling, actually," he admitted to the princess.

"Well, than you best tell me all about it at the feast tomorrow night."

"Feast?" He questioned and she nodded.

"To welcome you. The villagers are already talking about it and you can see that the children are quite excited."

"Do you enjoy them?"

"I do. They're much fun and I get to see my friends in the village," She smiled, her voice more gentle now as she felt more comfortable with the stranger. He was a comforting and curious presence, unlike her bubbling and bright charisma that often captured everyone's attentions. He was different, more quite and more careful, he was somebody that enjoyed to watch things unfold than be the one to unfold them. Or… at least, that was her impression of him.


	3. Chapter 3

Daisy and William went to a small cart selling fruit. He looked at them in curiosity, picking one up. It was a light orange color, almost pale with tints of red and it was fuzzy, but in a way that it felt like the soft velvet coats that many aristocratic men back in Europe wore. _How strange, _William thought as he examined the fruit. He could hear Daisy tinkling giggle again, lo and behold, she was covering her mouth as she laughed at him when he looked over.

"I've never seen one before, you know. They're weird!"

"It's a fruit!" She said and the man holding the cart was smiling in amusement. "See, even Bing thinks it's funny and trust me, Bing is not one to take amusement in those curious." She giggled as the man at the cart named Bing nodded silently.

"It is a _táo," _ Bing informed him. "Try it, they're very tasty."

"Uhm… don't you peel it?" He asked and Daisy giggled again as the older man standing at the cart gave her a scolding look.

"Júhuā, we mustn't laugh at the ignorant. Why don't you help him?"

"I am, I'm showing him around!" She defended before sighing as he gave her another look. All the elders were like spare parents to the young princess. William laughed at her this time, her stubborn nature more discernible. She obviously wasn't one to like being in the wrong, nor was she one to let up her fight for something. William watched her previous shy demeanor dissipate as she spoke with those she were more comfortable with. "What?" She asked.

"Nothing, I just… I thought you were more shy than that," He admitted, biting back an amused grin. She scowled at him.

"Shy? She's very bold, I must say," Bing chimed in, watching the two.

"Oh don't make scandal out of me, especially to a foreign _man." _She stopped pouting and looked plainly unamused. "Sir… Will-eh-um-"

"William," He corrected and she nodded.

"_William, _whatever kind of strange name that is, perhaps you should go home and I'll get you and your men properly attired for the feast tomorrow evening?" She offered, clasping her hands before her and tapping the toe of her shoes tapping against the dirt floor.

"Oh that isn't necessary… We've nicer clothes than simple day clothes as this."

"Surely, its my gift to you for visiting," She offered kindly. He smiled and nodded, not wanting to seem rude.

"Yes, thank you. I think that would be very generous of you."

Tom Branson looked at his friend baffled, before sitting back in his seat. "So you met the princess?"

"I did. I mean, it was strange but I did."

"Is she beautiful?" Tom asked and William shrugged, thinking back for a moment. Did he think the princess was beautiful? He couldn't say… not really. "Was she that bad?"

"No! No… I just didn't really look at her. There was so much else to see, she was the one thing I didn't pay attention to. Not really," William confessed.

"Well then I guess I'll see for myself, aye?"

"Mhm," William nodded, going into his bedroom to rest a bit before the tailors came to suit them up for the feast the upcoming day.

_**I know this chapter is so short and I'm sorry but I PROMISE the next one will be longer, probably be up tomorrow since I'm not doing anything. Enjoy this for now because soon we get the feast! ~A.M.E**_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

The lights of the lanterns shown in the color of their papers, reds and yellows and green, the scent of their oil candles musky burn mixing with the array of foods being prepared. Dancers swung about and music strummed for what felt like miles; you could hear it _everywhere. _The food venders who openly prepared food were lined up down the roads of the villages, yelling in their native language to each other, exchanging shouts of joy and jokes.

The dancers were experienced, move their feet in such familiarity and heart that they almost seemed possessed by the music. Their grace came in feats, no one woman less graceless than the other, but only more graceful than the other. They jumped and twirled and bowed in ways that told stories, looked at you with irises of colored mischief. Sometimes they held the power of a dragon, other times they were fragile as flowers. Each group of dancer that scattered the medium sized village was dressed in different colored silks that were folded and sorted in different ways. Each one held lovely hair, dark as the evening sky, some had hair with the fur of a beautiful dear or a sweet golden brown color like those of hazelnuts, and each dancer wove her up intricately, each group member with hair as identically tied to the other.

There were performers too, those who hid in dragon costumes and marched around, bringing forth the prayers of their spirits, summoning the actual dragons or scaring the children who cheered and around the crouched man who waddled in silken suits, colored to match elements of the earth. Green for plants, blue for water, red for fire, gray for the mountains and rock and black for the elements of space. They were all beautiful and man followed each dragon with drums, singing songs of their stories. Of course, these stories were all just folktale, the true dragon was the Great Dragon, dressed purple like the royals who wove through crowds and represented the high and mighty elements of earth.

William and were near the village center when symbols rung loudly, the drums holding down the final few hits of the beat before leaving a resonating sound in the village. Everybody stepped aside, as if everything halted and the grandeur entrance of the royal family was sprung alive when the music started up by a 'marching band' that lead them in, dancers and young girls spun through the crowd, tossing flowers and spinning around. The young girls had bells on the sashes of their dresses, the bells tinkling as they ran down the streets tossing flowers.

The royal family was carried in on beautiful carriages, sat on high thrones covered in cushions and cotton woven as beautiful as their silken clothing. Daisy was beautiful as ever, the royal princess holding her head high and her eyes touching every being that crossed her way, only the faint hint of a smile on her glossed pink lips. _Never introduce yourself weakly, always be the center of all attention and never let them doubt your power, your prowess. _It was written on her wall, she memorized, she recited it, she kept it as her frame alongside _grace beauty poise and power. _So perhaps she could work on her grace and poise more frequently, but it seemed to be the basis of her life from balls to meeting other rulers and possible suitors. It all felt like routine, to be poised and graceful. Being clumsy and silly around the people she found to be family felt like a _freedom. _

William glanced up and offered a small smile and she smiled the tad back, never once breaking her royal demeanor. The carriages were stopped and set down from the backs that carried them, the strong guards standing in with arms crossed over their bodies, fists pressed to their hearts. Daisy stepped down and she glowed in a purple silken dress, outlined with gold patterns that formed flowers and even a dragon up the side in gold. Her eyes were outlined with a green liquid that boldened the irises of ice she glared with. Her parents stepped down themselves, her father in a purple silken robe, designed in gold with dragons and fire like designs. Her mother was in similar attire to herself, though her hair more elaborately tied up, with pins that had gems that dangled down from their placements.

"Ah I spot some of the foreigners, should we go say hi?" The empress asked, looking over at her daughter who blushed at the handsome young man she'd met earlier.

"Perhaps we should, lest they go exploring in the village again. There is so much to see…" Daisy drifted off, looking around at her people who buzzed with chatter as they kneeled before their highnesses. "Let us greet the people first, right papa?"

"Of course Dearest." Her father turned to the people and they all smiled, her father raising his arms and lifting his head. "**May the festivities begin!" **He called, the crowds cheering and some confetti popping and the crowds breaking off, Daisy taking her mothers hand as she lead her to the group of foreign men who's eyes scanned round to find where'd they would head off to.

"William! How lovely to see you again," Daisy greeted as she stood a good few meters from him. He looked up before looking down at the petite young woman and smiling.

"Always a pleasure _Diànxià," _William replied, nodding his head in respect. He glanced at the empress, evidently beautiful as she smiled politely. "I spose this is your mother?"

"Yes. Mama, this is William, he's from… from… Where are you from?" She asked, looking over at him confused, an eyebrow raised, her lips pursed a bit.

"England. I'm from England. Its all the way across the world, I'd spose," he said, letting a small chuckle past his lips as he shyly glanced down before looking back up. "Pleasure to meet you, _CÍxĬ," _William nodded in respect again, not entirely sure how to bow before a Chinese empress. If her daughter laughed, she'd be in hysterics about the traditional English _kneel to the ground and bow your head _bow before the royals.

"Pleasure is all mine. What a lovely young man you are- are you an a tradesmen?"

"No, just an explorer. Though I'd kill for such lovely tea back home. You can thank your daughter for that one," He said looking to Daisy who giggled softly.

"So you bought some then?" She asked and he nodded. "I do love the tea, of course, tea is always a pleasure. Don't you think?"

"The english kind is rather bland, actually." He shrugged and she smiled.

"Well, then you best bring some home, shan't you? Now you two go ahead and enjoy the festival, I've a king to join after and some friends to catch up to." The Empress smiled and bid herself off to find her husband and friends, leaving the two young ones alone. William glanced around to find that his men had run off and he'd been left alone with the princess.

"Come with me, there's something I believe you'd be interested in," She admitted and he raised an eyebrow.

"Like what?" He asked, stroking his freshly shaven jaw line. She smiled and looked down, playing with her dress.

"A town tradition. But! Its a surprise, come along." She gestured, weaving through the crowd and greeting people as they did so. Some of her friends stopped her and they spoke whilst William went off and looked around, took everything in, soaked it like a sponge. To him, all of this was beyond beautiful, exotic and foreign and _amazing. _He'd never seen anything like it; though now that he has, he doesn't want to experience anything but this.

000

the grass flurried around their legs as the wind blew, a distant glow coming into view as they walked through the glass lands. Children were running and playing, some flying kites in the moonlight, their laughter like music with the wind. Williams eyes flitted around before focusing on the light that grew as they walked towards it. What was it? Perhaps a bonfire? Some sort of cookout?

Daisy glanced at him and smiled, knowing his head was racing with inquiries about the light that lead to their impending destination. It wasn't long before they were standing at the base of a tree, red lanterns with burning candles decorating its limbs.

"What is it?" William asked after a few moments of breathless awe.

"A tree. What did you think it was?" She teased, giggling her glittery laughter.

"I know _that. _I mean… why are the lanterns on there? What's this all for?" He elucidated, her eyes glancing up at him before looking back to the tree.

"Its always been village tradition for children and courtier to send their prayers and wishes to the ancestors before releasing them onto the tree with a burning candle. A man comes along to light them each night, so the ancestors see the prayers we've left and come to answer them. They are renewed each month."

William listened intently, pausing to process it all. The words slipped before he meant them to, his mouth moving before his mind. "Have you a wish up there? A lover you wish for?" They were calm, small words. Simple question and in a very dimmed down tone. It didn't feel right to talk loudly like they did in the village, this almost felt too precious to break, the silence that blanketed around them with the wind and distant laughter of children.

"I… I haven't. I don't think I want to get married… They say I'm to be a powerful empress but I don't know how I'm to be powerful when I'm expected to be a wife. I don't want to co-rule with somebody; I want to rule and to do so, I must stand alone. You understand that?"

"I do. You are married to your empire as I am married to the sea. I don't think I'd ever wish to be tied down anywhere that isn't the _mer _of the world," He said, eyes looking up at the tree. "I've never stayed in one place and I never will. The church disagrees with me, they think I'm risque but really, what is it for them to say? I love to travel, and maybe I'm no tradesmen, but I do take a bit more out of traveling than I do trading."

"So in sorts we are alike. Though what is a mer?" She asked and he glanced over at her.

"Oh. _Oh. _Mer is french for the ocean. The ocean is my home and I dare not leave her," He said with a chuckle and she smiled.

"Then you are a ruler of the ocean, the ocean is yours because you feel you belong to her. This empire is mine because I know it belongs to me even if i weren't meant to belong to it. perhaps I am more like you origin wise but that is it not how I grew up. I grew up a chinese princess and that is what-"

"You'll always be," he finished for her. "Though one day you will be more than that, I have immense faith in it. And I'll visit when you are in rule, though then we may not know each other."

"I hope we do…" She admitted, looking up at him as her heart fluttered. Something about the prospect of talking to William was exciting, dangerous and new. She enjoyed the feeling of having somebody who was like nobody else; somebody she could claim her own.

**_Please feel free to leave reviews and comments on the chapters and stories! Thank you for reading, those of you who are! ~A.M.E_**


	5. Chapter 5

_**short filler chapter before bed, I'll try and update again tomorrow but I also have other work to update sooo we'll see how this goes! Also don't be afraid to leave a review in the end! If you took time to read it, spare me the second for a review? It would really help! Thank you 3 A.M.E**_

The sun gleamed warm against the land, the farmers out and set on their days. The royal family was all awake, minus a certain soon-to-be-empress. Daisy was still fast asleep, holding the pillow to her body in sweet dreaminess. The evening had ran late, even if her and William had parted mostly after sitting beneath the tree. She had remembered feeling the strong urge to clasp hands together, the feeling strange and annoying to her. Daisy didn't like the idea that perhaps she'd taken fancy to a man, though she couldn't help but feel like a _mÍngxĪng _that twinkled brighter than the all the suns of the sky when she thought of sir William Mason, and his beautiful blue eyes and that lovely low tone he used with her when they were speaking at the tree.

She wouldn't ruin it though. Sir William was her friend; that was all. That's all that she'd allow… or let herself allow. He'd never become her husband or her courtier… perhaps she could muse the idea of a beau but how acceptable was that really? _Perhaps the musings of a beau was more worthy than the thoughts of your people…_

She snapped awake, her breath hitched in the back of her throat, clutching her pillow closer. She still felt exhausted, still felt rather tired but she didn't know if she wanted to sleep anymore. Her dreams had strung crazily at the thought of a river, her body a mermaid. She was swimming against the current of the river, trying to beat the thought as she did but it wouldn't let her. Daisy had let herself get thrown into course of the ravine, though a beautiful ravine. Bright blue waters, full of jewels and riches and joy. It almost felt like utopia, a feeling so high that she felt glorious, she felt beautiful and _qiángdá. _The world felt like hers, as if the ravine were arms of a lover who gave her all.

And this dream… this _dream _was almost too perfect, and something of a different world collided with hers, the ocean crossed the ravine and she learned things she never imagined. She learned things that she didn't know existed. And this ocean was beautiful, but this ocean became ruined and banished her from its threshold. The ocean had thrown her back into the ravine, leaving her helpless walls were created to block her from ever going back, then she woke up. She woke up, thinking that perhaps this was a sign that she was stranded on the lands of her castle forever and that if things were to change, it wouldn't be for very long. She would always be thrown back home.

But was that really it? Was that really all there was for her? She hoped that her buddhist lifestyle would grant her otherwise. She wanted a path of her own- unless being an empress was what would forever keep her grounded. _Am I interpreting my dreams wrong? _

A low whine escaped her lips before she buried her face in her pillow and pulled her blankets up. She could sleep forever but she didn't want to think about her dream forever-

A pounding sounded at her door. "_Diànxià _Júhuā! Time to wake up!" Her maid called, banging on the door again. "Breakfast is almost ready!" Daisy groaned, shaking her head.

"Must I?" She replied and she almost saw the nod of the head her ladies maid would give her. "Alright! Alright! Go set up a bath for me, I feel heavy," She admitted, her maid audibly leaving as she let the door handle click, meaning it'd been twisted but let go of and her shoes were loud against the floor as she huffed off to set the bath for the princess.

Daisy sat up and shivered, the spring morning a bit chilly. She looked at the flower tattoo's that splayed her arms, tracing one of the vines that were scaled like dragon scales and then a golden flower petal that was traced like fire. It was her favorite tattoo on all her body. Even the menacing dragon up her side didn't compare to her armored flower. Her fingers traced it again and shivered, goosebumps popping up on her skin.

_a bath is what I need, that will wash the thoughts away._

000

Tapping rhythmically against the wooden table, William's eyes were only lulling to sleep as the sun was beginning to rise high into the sky. His steel irises haven't left the paper, his hands were sore from writing about the evening, the tradition, the lights, everything. It was extended and created with such detail and such vigor, but it was carefully plotted and put together. William, didn't get a wink of sleep, though he were used to it. So many nights he kept himself running with the moon and stars, forcing himself awake as they kept treading on.

Now, though, he were at a desk and his pencil kept tapping and tapping and tapping. His brain was no longer able to continue forming words. It didn't want to. He couldn't think of anything; his mind felt like empty space. He was empty space and his brain was a vacant lot, vast as the ocean tame at night but very very hollow, like the inside of an abandoned shell.

His eyes were threatening to shut, his body slumping a bit as the tapping of his coal pencil, sharpened beneath the leather that kept his fingers clean slowing down against the wood desk. On instinct he shut the book and his head fell against the book as his heavy eyes rested wearily, his body slowing down the breath that was once lively and full, now silent and leisurely. He simply shut down, his body no longer able to provide meanings or thought or a coherent word. If sleep was for the weak, then perhaps weakness was bliss in all the best of forms. So sweet was the feeling of surrender when there was nothing to fight for anymore.


End file.
